Tar and Fedders...

(photo: Witness Housing, Brooklyn Heights, Devyn Caldwell)

New Yorkers have been experiencing a typical heat wave this past week, and it looks to continue into the next week as well. No surprise, it is the beginning of August, and this is normal no matter how much I loathe heat and humidity. Walking around this week has been a futile effort avoiding sticky things melting on the sidewalk (I stepped in tar twice), the shocking yet pleasant surprise of sprinkles of water from window/wall air-conditioners falling to the sidewalk and staying cool by ducking into stores that are chilled like a refrigerator.

Contributing to the heat island (literally) that is Manhattan and Brooklyn (Queens too, but we won't go there... Really), is the (previously mentioned) ubiquitous window/wall air-conditioner. Among the most ubiquitous of air-conditioner brands is Fedders. They along with Friedrich are everywhere... And I mean EVERYWHERE!

There are a lot of contributing factors to the large numbers of these lovely additions to our city scape, from the fact that nearly all Manhattan and much of Brooklyn housing was built long before the invention of the wheel, electricity, air-conditioning was available, and the fact that there are a lot of tiny apartments crammed into many large buildings. Fedders and their ilk can be found in the homes of the poor, the commoner (such as myself) as well as homes of those that have the ability to afford more than 500 square feet (read; the wealthy). Central air (like a washer/dryer) is a luxury that few have, and that isn't likely to change any time soon. But that's OK, it wouldn't be New York otherwise.

So, as I sit and write this post (next to the window air-conditioner on high), I will continue to appreciate the quirks of New York City, and be thankful that I can escape the heat, just like a wealthy person.

Edit: I forgot to mention... I am still feeling a bit under the weather, but as per usual, it takes a while to recover from Bronchitis. The coughing lingers on. Even though it has been two years since I quit smoking, the previous 24 years of smoking still take their toll on me from time to time.